‘In the past year the anti-abortion brigade have met their match in local pro-choice campaign group Sister Supporter.’
Photograph: Sister Supporter

Ostensibly, women’s rights have long been enshrined in law; the purpose of the 1970 Equal Pay Act is self-explanatory. The Equality Act of 2010 in theory outlawed male colleagues’ wandering hands by legislating against workplace harassment. But reality often jars with legal niceties.

Reproductive rights are one area where parity is far off, and you don’t need to go far to witness women being subjected to open, regular abuse. Intimidation occurs daily outside family planning clinics nationwide, in increasingly virulent protests by the so-called religious, aimed at stopping women having abortions. Women in Ealing have had to put up with this over at least three decades. As its MP I want to do something about it so women can access services provided by the NHS, free from fear and intimidation.

US-style abortion battles loom in UK amid claims of intimidation

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In a leafy bit of London, Mattock Lane is a busy thoroughfare bordering a pleasant park, and is home to an am-dram theatre. It also houses a Marie Stopes clinic. For years I’ve walked down it – often to drop my son off at his drama club – silently seething with rage when the anti-abortion brigade line the pavement with wildly inaccurate and gruesome foetus dolls and graphic images, clutching rosary beads, and attempting to stop women from going in and out. In the past year they have met their match in local pro-choice campaign group Sister Supporter, clad in pink hi-vis vests.

The tension has ramped up in recent years, aided and abetted by technology and social media. Women on the brink of a major medical procedure, with additional layers of moral dilemmas heaped on top, are caught in the crossfire. Locally, there’s a sense that enough is enough.

The police express inability to do anything under public order legislation and the situation has intensified with “both sides” sometimes locked in a stand-off. Back in January I raised this in parliament, and got no meaningful reply from the minister. Since then, ideas have been percolating on how to deal with this threat to women’s wellbeing. This week, a motion comes before Ealing council that would extend asbo powers – usually reserved to move on street drinkers and drug dealers – to stop these protests.

If successful, this approach could be replicated nationwide. This is, of course, far from being exclusively an Ealing problem; there have been similar protests in Camden, Twickenham, Southwark, Cardiff and Edgbaston in Birmingham, all aimed at frightening and intimidating women visiting abortion clinics.

This is about women’s security: every woman deserves to be able to go about her life in safety

This is about women’s security: every woman deserves to be able to go about her life in safety. I recently met some of those who work in the clinic and it was illuminating to hear stories from staff who frequently have their path obstructed by zealots simply while going to work. They keep an incident book; tellingly the chants and tactics differ for women entering and leaving. On the way in, it’s emotional blackmail: teddy bears are thrust at women who get called “mum”. On leaving they are met with anger and commonly told they’re headed for hell. Creepy footage of them shot without their consent gets transmitted via Facebook Live.

Those who call out abuse are often met with abuse. I’ve had my office picketed for speaking out on this and I am regularly threatened on social media, a further bullying tactic designed to silence. The council needs to pass this motion, and a more permanent national solution needs to be found, so we can ensure that the pavement is a safe space for women accessing NHS services – surely not too big an ask. After all, whatever happened to thou shalt not judge?